Legendary Band Set to Record and Tour Without Front Man.
I’m not at all opposed to old bands reuniting for a tour. But one thing that makes me instantly skeptical is when I hear a band is going on without a key member.
So when I heard that Led Zeppelin is planning on recording and touring without Robert Plant, I had to roll my eyes.
According to a few sources — mostly British at this point — the band will consist of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham, son of Zep drummer John Bonham.
Now, as great of a drummer as John Bonham was, a band can go on without its original drummer — as the Who did after Keith Moon. But if you have a singer with a distinctive voice like Plant — forget it.
Of course, you can mitigate it by bringing on an A-list singer. Queen, for example, have had some success with Paul Rodgers. (In fact, they have a new album out this month, “the Cosmos Rocks.”) And indeed there are rumors of well-known artists replacing Plant, including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden.
But still — we’re talking Robert Plant here.
The voice of Zep.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens there. Meanwhile — while I’m harping on about Zeppelin – U2 says it’s newest album, “No Line on the Horizon,” was heavily influenced by Zeppelin. So watch for some Jimmy Page-style licks from The Edge.
Posted on January 7th, 2009 by Pat
Filed under: Music
I agree. No big-league singer or expert mimic could ever replace the likes of Robert Plant.
However, would it be cool to see Led Zeppelin on tour again? Yes. Yes it would.
I’ve always felt Zeppelin was overrated. So, as far as I’m concerned, they can trample all over their legacy as much as they’d like. Still, events like this beg the question of, “What really constitutes a ‘band’?” Is a real band only made up of that group’s original members? If not, how many of those members can be replaced before said band is no longer valid? Or is a band simply a group of people playing together, under a band’s name, who sound relatively close to the original version of the band that was once popular? The mind reels.
I agree, Shawn(o). At what point does the band merely become a tribute band? Lynyrd Skynyrd used to have a Rule of Three, where at least three original members were required to play under the name. But I think they even have maybe one or two original members now.
Slightly overrated.
And I’d think the obvious choice to replace Plant is David Coverdale - the original Plant-plant.
Or, if they want to do something extra-special: Bobby Brown. Throw in some BB tunes, “Don’t Be Cruel” with some Page guitar added.
Just my suggestion…
Why don’t they ask Josh Groban. Expand their base a little.